Pasiap
He Who Illuminates Both Worlds with Majesty and Power The great warrior Pasiap was a pillar of strength in the war against the Anathema. Never did he turn from the fi eld in fear, nor did he succumb to the Anathema’s taunts with fury. In all instances, it was said that Pasiap had only to place himself so that his back was to the Imperial Mountain, and it was clear to all who saw him that he stood at the Center of All Creation: unmovable, resolute, strong and enduring. Pasiap taught his followers that there was no difference between the Essence of the self and the Essence of Creation. Did not the Exalted and gods draw into themselves the power of the dragon lines? Control of one’s Essence led to control of the Essence around one. Likewise, in shaping the things of the world, the shaper was himself shaped. Time and again the Anathema tried to destroy Pasiap. When he proved too mighty, they instead threw down those things he had created, in hopes of driving him to anger or despair. The Immaculate Texts say that he but smiled and thanked his foes for the chance to build again. When the wars against the Anathema drew to a close, Pasiap remained incarnate to teach men the ways of controlling the Essence of the earth. He is considered the father of geomancy, where once that art was the sole province of the Exalted and Anathema. Pasiap’s mon is the Omphalos Triumphant, the symbol of the Imperial Mountain, the center upon which all of Creation is balanced, the spoke between Heaven and the lands of mortals, reminding the Dragon-Blooded that they, too, must act to join the propriety of Heaven with the realities of Creation. THE OSTENTATIOUS PEASANT The Antithesis of Pasiap is the Ostentatious Peasant, who does not understand that the true glory in fi ne possessions is not in the having of them, but in the making. The solid, honest work ethic evades the Ostentatious Peasant, who sees only the riches of those around him without seeing the hard work they have put into acquiring them. The Ostentatious Peasant sees only the rewards of hard work, rather than the enlightenment that is effort’s true reward. EMULATING PASIAP In Pasiap, mortals fi nd that the reward for hard work isn’t luxury—it is the enlightenment of a job done well and with care. Architects and builders revere Pasiap, whose gift to them is the knowledge that, with every brick they lay and every wall they stand, the sweat of their brow has firmed their tread on the path to enlightenment. Dragon-Blooded who truly follow Pasiap understand that the wealth of the Great Houses is nothing if it does not reflect the hard work and dedication of those who possess it. The wealthy are to be admired, but only if what they have reflects their resolute effort. Earth-aspected Dragon-Blooded are often taught to curb their Essence-driven pride and focus on things of the material world that are the bane of those who would be enlightened. But rather than eschewing it, they are reminded that it should stand for something. Wealth and respect are the natural result of hard work, nothing more. PARAGON OF PASIAP The duty of the Paragon of Pasiap is to act as the “Raiser of Stones,” a builder and creator. Always incredibly skilled in architecture—including the design of manses—the Paragon of Pasiap oversees the construction of new temples and other structures for the Immaculate Order. His role extends beyond this, however, for he acts as the apportioner of the Immaculate Order’s resources, allotting those resources the Mouth of Peace secures for the use of the Immaculate Order, from money and food to artifacts and the hearthstones of the Order’s many manses. The Paragon of Pasiap is to represent the understanding of the greatest weapon that Creation has against the erosion of the Wyld: civilization. The Paragon of Pasiap teaches that Creation was once larger, but with the deaths caused by the Contagion and the subsequent fall of civilization, the walls that held back the storm of the Wyld fell, and madness breached the world. As a result, those monks who follow the teachings of Pasiap tend to be vehement missionaries, seeking always to bring civilization to those places that are without it. The current Paragon of Pasiap is the oldest of the Paragons, an ancient Earth Aspect with fl esh like white marble known as Foundation of Prosperity. The devotees of Pasiap under Foundation of Prosperity have gone a long way toward the accomplishment of what he views as Pasiap’s foremost goal: the building of prosperity, which builds civilization.